


What If

by SubmissiveJayden



Category: Kings (TV 2009)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Anal Sex, Angst, Canon Gay Relationship, Daddy Issues, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Slash
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-20
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-07-25 14:14:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 19,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7536007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SubmissiveJayden/pseuds/SubmissiveJayden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"What if you just told them?"</p><p>Joseph wants Jack to come out to his family about his sexuality and his partner. Jack fears for his and Joseph's lives if his family ever learned the truth. </p><p>I couldn't stand the tragedy of how Jack and Joseph's relationship played out on screen so I re-wrote their story.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is not yet finished and I do not know when or how it will end. I wanted to explore more of Jack and Joseph's relationship. This story is based on the idea that maybe things could have gone differently had Jack came out to his family. 
> 
> My apologies in advanced if anything is OOC (I will apologize, not regret it).

“What if you just told them?”

Jack rolled his eyes at the idea. He continued stroking his boyfriend’s hair as his head was resting on Jack’s chest. He would've been angry at the suggestion, but this wasn't the first time Joseph had mentioned this. 

“What if the sun didn't rise tomorrow?” Jack threw back at him. The conversation has taken place ever since the day that Jack and Joseph had decided they were secretly boyfriends. Two months had already passed since then. Joseph was starting to bring the topic up more and more frequently. As annoyed as Jack was with the constant begging, he let Joseph ask. 

Joseph pushed his body up on his hands and looked Jack straight in the eyes. “I'm serious Jack? Walk me through it.”

Joseph already knew the answer. Jack hated that he asked because the answer was cruel and heartless and Jack hated that he'd have to speak it out loud. “Ok. I'll play along.” Jack smiled as he lightly touched the cheek of his lover. “If I was gonna tell my family about us, I'd do it over dinner. I'd pick a night where I knew we would be having a family dinner. I'd let them know only an hour before that I was bring a guest. I'd send a chauffeur to your home. I'd measure you and send the numbers to my tailor so he can make you a suit.”

Jack stopped to imagine Joseph in a well-fitting suit. His smile grew and Joseph blushed. “You'd be so hot and nervous.” Jack crawled closer to gently kiss his boyfriend on the lips and make his way down to his neck. It was while his lips were tasting Joseph's neck that Jack continued. “I'd make sure you got there plenty early enough so I could try to sneak you upstairs to my room before meeting my family. I'd admire how beautiful you looked and then I'd fuck you.” At that last part, Jack began nibbling on his boyfriend’s neck. Joseph let out a moan and even though they were having their post-sex pillow talk, Joseph was already getting hard again. Jack noticed. He reached his hand down to Joseph's dick and lightly began stroking it. Jack kept his eyes on Joseph as he continued his story, all the while jacking off his boyfriend. 

“After we fucked, I'd help you redress, slowly. I'd take your hand and lead you downstairs to feed you to the lions. When we walk into the dining room holding hands, everyone would stop and stare at us. I'd be the first to speak. I'd say, ‘Mom, Dad, Michelle, this is Joseph, my boyfriend.’” Jack pumped his fist faster and tightened his grip of Joseph's penis just tight enough to let him finish. Jack roughly kissed Joseph's open mouth as he moaned in ecstasy and he climaxed in Jack’s hand. Joseph thanked Jack by sucking on his bottom lip. He'd almost forgot that Jack was answering his question until Jack resumed telling his story. 

“We'd both be nervous. I would be able to feel your hand tremble in mine. I'd give you a comforting squeeze. You'd think I was helping you relax, but it'd really be for me. I’d need to reassure myself that you were really there with me and I was really doing what I thought I'd never do.” Joseph had settled back into Jack’s arm and rested his head on the crook of Jack’s neck. “Everyone would be silent. They'd all be staring at us, making us more uncomfortable.” 

Jack took a moment to let out a deep breath. “It would be my father that would speak first. He'd say, “Welcome Joseph. I'm glad I finally got to meet the boy who stole my son’s heart.” He'd have a warm welcoming smile on his face and it would help to make everyone in the room feel more at ease.”

Joseph couldn't help interrupting the story. He once again pulled himself off Jack's chest. “Why would he say ‘finally?’” Joseph stared at Jack for a long moment while Jack wasn't sure what to say back. “Jack, does your father know about us?” 

As much as Jack wished he didn't have to answer that question, he couldn't help that he really wanted to be honest with Joseph. Joseph was the only person he never wanted to lie to. He had meant to say that part of the story because he had been hiding that detail from Joseph for too long. Jack unconsciously looked down. He couldn't take Joseph's glare any longer. He let out a weak “yes.”

Joseph was visibly upset by this new information. Jack swallowed and waited for Joseph to yell at him for omitting this information from him. “How long has he known about us? How'd he find out? What did he say to you? Why didn't you tell me about this?”

When Jack is ever in a tight spot, he resorts to becoming aggressive. He never wants Joseph to see this side of him. He tried to hold back his anger so he speaks through clenched teeth. “I'm telling you now. I don't know how long he's known, but he only just told me about it a couple of weeks ago. He told me that if I wanted to take his place as King someday I’d have to stop being seen with you. He said that I was a disgrace for being gay and he wished I wasn't his first born son.” Tears rolled down his cheek just as they had the day Jack’s father confronted him about Joseph. “He doesn't know who you are, but he's seen photos of us together in public. All of those times we thought no one was looking.”

Joseph stroked Jack's cheek and wiped away some stray tears. He had no idea about any of this. He couldn't believe that Jack's father had known he was gay and he was seeing a boy. Suddenly, Joseph understood the gravity of what all of this was doing to Jack. He grabbed Jack and tightly hugged him. He didn't really know what he could say to make his boyfriend feel better but he tried anyway. “You don't deserve that. I wish he would have accepted you for who you are, not who he wants you to be. I know I can't change what he said, but I still love you no matter what.” 

Jack’s sniffling stopped and he turned his face toward Joseph’s. “You love me?” Jack has known for a while now that he was in love with Joseph. He realized the day his father had belittled him for his sexuality that he couldn't give Joseph up, even for the crown. He had taken his father’s words harshly, but decided that the thing his father wanted him to do more than anything was to keep his relationship private. It wasn't like he had been told that he couldn't be gay, it was that he couldn't be seen being gay. Ever since that day, Jack had gone to much more elaborate means to conceal his relationship. He would only ever sleep with Joseph at Joseph's apartment. He refused any type of public affection toward him. Seeing as he hadn't heard from his father about his relationship since that day, he assumed his secrecy was paying off. 

Joseph's face lit up. “Of course I love you, Jack!” Joseph immediately placed his lips on Jack's and they both tried to show the other just how much they loved them back. 

Jack was the first one to break the kiss. He started laughing. Nothing particularly funny was going on, but Joseph's heart melted when he saw just how genuine, how innocent Jack's laugh was. He doubted many people had ever seen Jack so vulnerable and so natural. 

“I love you more than you'll ever know, Joseph.” Jack finally said when his laughter abated. It was Jack this time that pulled Joseph into his kiss. 

The pair innocently traded tender kisses until Joseph spoke again. “You know you never finished telling me the story.”

Jack's smile immediately faded. He'd hope he'd never have to finish that story. “You do realize that it doesn't end with a ‘happily ever after,’ right?”

“It's our story. We can write it however we want.”

“That's not the way it works. If my father ever sees me with you again, he will kill you, Joseph!” Jack practically yells his point. 

Joseph shakes his head. “You don't know that. Things might change or at least be different than how you've pictured it in your head.”

“Why?” Jack asks softly. “Why can't we just have this? I have you and you have me. Why do you insist on changing that?” 

“Because this is a fantasy, Jack! It's a lie! It's not who we are outside of this room.”

Jack turned away as the tears once again filled in his eyes. He understood what Joseph was saying, but there was no way things could ever change. No matter how much he wished he and Joseph could be together outside of this room, it was impossible. No one in his family would understand. Maybe his sister Michelle would be more sympathetic, but there's nothing she could do to help him. His father would disown him. His mother would stop talking to him. His sister would regretfully obey their parents and cut him out as well. Joseph would be killed and it would be made to look like a suicide. Hell, they may even kill Jack in the same manner. Michelle would take up the crown. They'd have to find some other way to produce an heir. Maybe they'd keep Jack around just long enough to force him to impregnate a girl. 

“Is the crown really that important to you? I am willing to risk death to be with you!” Joseph was starting to get upset. 

Jack hated that Joseph had put him in this situation. Asking Jack to choose between his family and the love of his life. To be honest, being King was just another requirement his father had forced on him. It was an obligation more than anything. “Fuck the crown! I don't care about it! I don't even care what my family will say about me or if they disown me!” Jack moved Joseph's face and forced him to look him in the eyes. “But I will not lose you. I will not let them kill you because of me. I will not tell them in order to protect you.”

“Don't pretend you are doing this for me. You're scared! You don't want to stand up to your family.”

Jack had enough. He rolled over and hopped out of the bed. He made his way to gather his cloths and his belongings. 

“Jack! Don't leave things like this!” Joseph cried. 

As much as Jack couldn't stand the thought that he just made his lover cry, he hardened his heart as he quickly changed and vanished into the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack hadn't gone back to the castle that night. He hadn't gone to his apartment. He hadn't stayed at Joseph's. 

The next day after leaving Joseph's, Jack’s parents were worried when he hadn't shown for breakfast. They assumed he'd had too much of a late night and was probably sleeping it off at his apartment. It was later in the afternoon when his mother received a call from Jack's job asking about his whereabouts. The military didn't take lightly to someone not showing up for duty, the prince was no exception. 

Rose had asked Michelle if she know where her brother was. Michelle had made an off-handed remark about a better question being ‘who was he in?’ Rose scolded her for her comment and moved along. She didn't want to ask Silas quite yet. Silas often overreacted, especially when it came to the topic of their son. They were just too much alike to see anything eye to eye. They were both some of the most stubborn men Rose had ever known. Rose, instead, spent the day tracking down Jack's friends in hopes they would know more information. 

Rose knew she'd only have a brief amount of time before the military would contact her husband about their son’s disappearance. Unfortunately, Rose was not able to find him first. Just before the general was sent to the King, Rose slipped into a meeting Silas was having. She quietly told him that there was something she needed to privately discuss with him. Silas told the men to break from the meeting as he listened to the concern and worry in his wife’s voice. 

Silas wasn't known for always being a patient man, but in the case of his children, he had been known to have the patience of a saint at times. This was one of those times. Silas acknowledge his wife’s worries, but assured her that their son would be fine and would eventually show up. Once he did, Jack would be at the mercy of the military on how they'd see fit to punish him for his absence. 

The next day, Jack still hadn't been seen. The military, at the King’s insistence would hold off their search party for another two days. After that period, they would implore any means necessary to drag Jack back and face justice. 

At the beginning of the third day, Silas had spent all of his patience. He would drag Jack back himself and only had a single day to do so. Silas only gave the order for the military to stand down for a few days because Silas had presumed that Jack had been spending his time with some male lover and didn't want him found that way. 

In the beginning of his search, Silas was a bit at a loss. He had questioned Jack's body guards and his friends. No one seemed to know who Jack preferred to spend his nights with. They mostly gave the names of show girls that Jack was often seen in the media with. 

That's when Silas decided to dig up an old photo of his son being captured making out with another man. This photo was one of the ones he received from the media outlets when it was intercepted by Thomasina. There was another photo with it. It was a more detailed picture of exactly who was tonging his son. The pictures were atleast over a year old, but Silas prayed that somehow by finding this boy, he could find his son. 

He first went to the show girls. After talking to a hand full, they said they had all seen the other boy around at one point or another. Eventually one was able to give Silas a name: Joseph Lasile. With that name, Silas acquired an address. 

Joseph heard the buzz at his door and his heart jumped with excitement. He never had too many visitors, except for Jack. Jack was also known for randomly popping up at his residence without notice. Joseph quickly let the visitor up without question. 

The moment Joseph opened the door and found that the visitor was none other than Jack's father, King Silas, his heart plummeted. He had a sinking feeling that Jack was right, and Silas was here to kill him. Joseph lost words as he moved aside and allowed the King into his home. 

“Are you Joseph Lasile?” King Silas asked the second he entered the residence. 

Joseph stuttered. He wasn't sure what the proper procedure would be for addressing the King. “Yes, sir.”

The King nodded. He then took out the photograph of just Joseph. “So you are the one in this photo?”

Joseph saw a picture of him smiling at the bar of one of the clubs he frequented. “Yes, sir.” 

The King nodded again. He then handed Joseph the other photo. “So then this is also you?”

Joseph felt his knees go weak as he looked at the next picture. It was taken outside the same bar on the same night as the last. Joseph and Jack found a dark corner of the alley that was right next to the dumpster where they had snuck away for a few minutes to have a heated make out session and a promise of more to come later that night. 

If the King was showing him this picture, Joseph was sure he had tracked him down with the intention of killing him. Joseph wondered what must have happened to Jack if the King was here by himself. Did Jack know about this? Jack had promised to protect him and now he was nowhere to be seen. 

“Well, is that you in that picture?” The King asked coldly. 

Joseph lost his voice and barely nodded in acknowledgement. 

“When was the last time you saw Jack?” 

Joseph's eyes leapt up to match the King’s. His mind worked through all of the possible reasons the King would have for asking that question. He was sure that when he admitted that it had only been a few days since the last time he'd seen Jack, that the King would surely have him executed. Either way, Joseph had never been good at lying so he told him the truth. “He was here a couple of days ago, sir.”

“What day?” The King’s voice raised and deepened when he barked out his question. 

A whimper escaped from Joseph's lips as he answered. “Three nights ago.” 

The King stared him down harshly, but hadn't said a word. Silas was hoping to intimidate the boy enough to scare some information out of him. 

Joseph's throat went dry. He wanted desperately to ask what this was all about, but knew better. He wished he could say something that would appease his King, but he feared that he may say too much if allowed the chance to speak. 

A few long minutes had gone by before the King spoke again. “Do you mind if I look around your apartment?” 

Joseph shook his head no. The King slowly began checking all the cabinets and draws. He looked under Joseph's bed, the shower and all closets. After he seemed satisfied that Jack wasn't currently there, he turned back to Joseph and questioned him once more. “What was the purpose of Jack's last trip here?” 

Joseph couldn't come up with a single word to speak. The only word that came to mind was “to fuck.”

The King nodded. He didn't seem the least bit phased by the admission that Joseph hadn't even realized he said out loud. “When was the last time you heard from him?” 

“He messaged me last night.” Joseph found his phone beside his bed and pulled up the message from Jack. “He said he was sorry and that he wished he could be braver.”

“Did you respond to him?”

“I tried calling him right after I got that message, but he turned his phone off and it’s been off since.”

The King deeply sighed. Atleast he knew that Jack was ok yesterday. He moved toward Joseph’s bed and sat down at the end of it. If he was going to get information out of the boy, he figured he’d change tactics and not try to intimidate him. “Come, sit.” King Silas patted the other corner of the bed beside him. 

Joseph hesitated, but obeyed regardless. Silas rubbed his scruff that was forming on his chin from only a few hours of not shaving. He was taking his time trying to figure out how best to proceed. “Joseph, do you fear me?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Why?”

Joseph was confused why he’d bother asking. What should he say? “Jack said that you might try to… to… well, do away with me.”

Silas let out a deep laugh. Not the kind of laugh that Jack had, but a forced laugh. “Really? Jack told you I’d kill you?” A smile grew across Silas’ mouth. It didn’t’ feel kind. “What reason could I have for killing you?”

Joseph’s discomfort with the conversation was becoming more and more apparent. “He told me what you said when you found out he was gay. He was terrified for my life. He thought that if you knew who I was that you’d have me killed and make it look like a suicide.” As terrified as Joseph was, he realized that either way, if he was to be killed, then the King had already made up his mind.

Silas put a hand on Joseph’s shoulder. Joseph blankly stared back at him. Silas’ expressions changed into something kinder. “Does my son really think so little about me? Do you think I’m petty enough to disregard my son’s happiness for my own vanity?”

“He told me that that’s what you told him.” Joseph countered. 

Silas rolled his eyes. “I did. For good reason too. Never you mind that. What is said between my son and I is not of your concern.” 

“He thinks you hate him, sir.”

“I don’t hate him. He’s my son. My heir. He’s a good man. He just makes poor decisions at times. This being one of them.”

Joseph gave him a confused look. “Him and I being in a relationship is a poor decision?”

Silas’ eyes opened wide. “You and him are… what? Boyfriends?”

Joseph nodded skeptically. He assumed this was the reason for the King’s visit. Joseph assumed that Jack had finally came out to him about their relationship. 

Silas shook his head. “You think that just because my son favours men over woman that I would have his ‘boyfriend’ killed? Is that why he disappeared?”

“What do you mean disappeared?” Joseph was shocked to hear this revelation.

“Yes, Jack has been missing now for three days now, and you were the last one to see him and hear from him.” The King’s tone grew deeper and deadlier as he moved closer to Joseph. “And if I find out you harmed him in any way, death will be a mercy that you will beg me for.”

“I swear to you sir! I had no idea about any of this. I thought Jack had gone back to his apartment.”

“Then you’ll help me find him?” Silas asked.

Joseph was about to respond with ‘absolutely,’ but thought better of it. “What will you do to him when we find him?”

“Don’t you worry about that! I will deal with my son accordingly. Boyfriend or not, you are nothing in comparison to his father.”

“I’m not going to let you hurt him.” Joseph couldn’t believe the tone he was using toward his King. He was surprising himself at just how much he was willing to stand up to the man that has hurt his lover time and time again. “I’d rather he stayed lost.”

“I’m gonna reason with you because I can tell that you actually care for Jack. Jack has gotten himself in alot of trouble from this little tantrum of his, and I don’t mean with me. Jack has been missing from his job for the past three days. The military doesn’t go lightly on that. I have requested that they wait till tomorrow to start searching for him, but I’m running out of time and energy looking for him. It would be much better if we could find him and he turned himself in.” Silas held out his hand to Joseph. “Now, are you gonna help me bring my boy home?”

Joseph, still wary of the offer, shook the King’s hand anyway.


	3. Chapter 3

Joseph didn’t know where to begin looking. He knew all of Jack’s favourite bars and clubs, but so did everyone. If Jack had been seen at any of them, it would have been as easy as turning on the local news to have found him. No, Jack was hiding. If Joseph was gonna find him, he’d have to decipher his boyfriend, which was a daunting task. 

“Well, where are we gonna start?” King Silas asked.

Joseph flipped his phone on and once more dialed Jack’s number. Again, there was an error message playing that told him Jack's phone was still turned off. “I’m assuming you’ve already tracked his spending?”

“He’s probably using cash.”

“Well, normally, Jack would be spending alot of money on things he doesn’t need. He’d be making a show out of how much money he has and buy drinks for the entire bar.” 

“But he’s not doing that.”

“Exactly! He’s doing the complete opposite. Normally, he’d be easy to find somewhere, but now he’s hiding nowhere.” Joseph searched his memories of all of the places that Jack and him had gone to have public sex. They were both into the trill of not getting caught. Out of all the places they had been, there was one the stuck out in Joseph’s mind. It was a mile away from Jack’s house. Jack had been excited to show off an abandoned farmhouse that was deep in the thick of a forest that Jack had stumbled on when he was a boy. He had used the farmhouse throughout his childhood and teenage years to be a place of refuge. They only spent a single night in the farmhouse. Somehow, Joseph could see that the farmhouse wasn’t the most pleasant memory for Jack. In a way, Joseph felt like Jack only brought him there to erase all of his poor memories. “I think I might know where he is.”

Silas drove down the same roads that led to his house. Joseph said if they were gonna get there, then they’d have to walk a mile into the woods. Joseph had only been there once before, and Jack had led the way. The path was faint, but somehow they were able to find the farmhouse without getting too lost. At the sight, Silas ran quickly toward the house. He’d hoped he hadn’t just wasted half his day chasing down a dead end. 

“Jack!” Silas called out. There was movement in the house. Silas followed the noise. When he got to what looked like a bedroom, he found his son. 

Jack froze when he saw his father enter the bedroom. Silas saw the mess of the hundreds of beer bottles and liquor bottles that littered the house. Most of the filth looked like it had been there for some time now. Jack didn’t appear to be very sober. His eyes were blood-shot and red. He was standing still, but still swaying. Silas made his way through the trash and grabbed his son harshly as he threw him in a tight embrace.

“Dad, you found me? How?” Jack weakly said in Silas’ ear. It was in that moment that Joseph emerged in the doorway of the bedroom. Jack’s face fell into a pout when he realized that his boyfriend had betrayed him to his father. 

He tried to break away from Silas’ grip, but Silas tightened it. “None of that.” Silas admonished gently in Jack’s ear. “You will have plenty enough time to be mad at me, but this moment is not going to be one of them.” Jack could only submit himself to being held by his father. Silas placed a kiss on his son’s cheek and released him from the hug. “We are going home now.”

The walk back was unnerving to say the least. Silas was furious at his son, but choose to not make it known quite yet. Jack was still heavily under the influence of alcohol and stumbled for most of the hike back. Joseph would go to catch him and keep him upright, but Jack would shrug him off. At one point, after Jack took a pretty nasty fall and scraped his knee, Joseph held out a hand to get him back up. Jack smacked it out of the way and told him he didn’t need his pity. Joseph quietly whispered that it was ok and that he had told King Silas everything about Jack and his relationship. Jack spat on the ground next to Joseph and said, “Yeah, well you shouldn’t have.”

Once back to the car, Silas ushered in both boys. Jack asked where they were going. Silas looked at him and told him they had to take his friend back home. Jack quickly corrected him and said, “boyfriend.” Silas nodded and repeated the correction of “boyfriend.” Joseph watched from the back seat as a flash of a smile could be seen on Jack’s face before he turned away from his father. 

Outside Joseph’s apartment building, they parked and waited. Joseph wasn’t sure if he should even expect a good-bye from his boyfriend, and Jack didn’t know if he should say anything either. Joseph opened the door and made his way toward his apartment building. A thought hit Jack that this may be the last time he’d ever see Joseph if his father decided to murder either of them or both of them. Jack quickly got out of the car and ran to meet up with Joseph on the steps of his building. Without a word, Jack smashed their lips together. Joseph blushed when they parted. “I might not ever see you again.” Jack said quietly. “But I will always love you.” 

Joseph smiled and stroked his boyfriend’s cheek. “I love you, Jack. Now and forever.” 

Before Joseph could see him cry, Jack turned away and slowly made his way back to his father’s car. As soon as Jack was buckled up in his seat, his father reached over and pulled his chin to look at him. Suddenly, Jack felt an instant, familiar sting on his cheek. He gasped as his father had just backhanded him. “Just wait till we get home.” Silas promised Jack.


	4. Chapter 4

Before the car had come to a complete stop in the driveway, Jack had already unbuckled himself and was out of the car. Silas didn’t need to yell after him to make sure he went straight to his room and wait there. Silas had faith that he’d find his son waiting for him in his room anyway. 

Silas didn’t go inside right away. He knew that if he exchanged any words with his son so soon, then he’d be risking seriously harming him. There were a couple of times in his past where Silas knew he had gone too far with his son. Once, when Jack was only nine, Silas decided to beat him with a leather strap for his poor behaviour in school. Rose had fortunately intervened just in time to make Silas realize how far he had gone, and how he was hurting Jack out of rage. The other time was when Jack was a freshman in high school and ran away (probably hid at the farmhouse, Silas thought). Jack spent five days away. When he did finally come home, Silas locked him up in the basement for the rest of that weekend. Silas only freed him when it was the next school day. Rose refused to speak to him for the next week. 

Silas sat in the silence of the car. He didn’t have to wait very long until he had company. His wife, Rose, must have seen Jack storm inside. Rose opened the passenger door and sat beside Silas. She sat quietly at first, but that was ended when she breath out a soft, “Thank you.”

Silas was quick to jump on her words. “Oh, don’t thank me! I’m about to go upstairs and strangle him to death! It’s no less than he deserves.” Silas was gripping the wheel so hard that his knuckles were turning white. 

Rose tenderly touched his arm. “Don’t say that. He’s just as stubborn as his father is and that can’t be helped.” Silas did not seem even the least bit more relaxed from her words. “Why don’t you go out and get us some food for dinner. Cooking always helps to calm you down and we could use a nice family meal. Rose leaned over and kissed Silas on the cheek. “I’ll go talk with our son. You take your time and come back when you’re ready.” 

Silas really wanted to argue with her. He especially wanted to go make good on his threat of killing his son. He knew he’d instantly calm down if he did. But he also knew that if he killed his son, he would have wasted the past twenty-two years he spent raising the damn bastard. He also knew that there was no way he could actually kill his son, as much as the kid pissed him off. He did love Jack. Once again, he was thankful his wife was there to intervene before he decided to deal with his son. Silas started the engine and drove off to the farthest grocery store he could find.

Jack was left to himself in his room for the past two hours before he heard a knock at the door. The knocker didn’t wait for him to speak before they let themselves in. Jack had been laying face first in his pillow since he got back home. He looked up to see who his guest was. When he saw it was his mother, he breathe a sigh of relief. At the same time, Jack was disappointed to see it wasn’t his father. Silas was now the only other person, other than Joseph, that knew Jack’s sexuality and current relationship. He wouldn’t be able to explain to his mother the reasons behind his behaviour. 

“Jonathan, sit up!” Rose scolded. 

It always caught Jack off guard when his parents called him by his legal name. He immediately sat up in his bed. “Where’s Dad?” 

“I sent your father off to buy groceries to make us dinner.” Jack scuffed loudly. “Hey, watch it! It was either that or he was about ready to strangle you.”

“Wouldn’t expect anything less.” Jack smirked at her. 

“Wipe that grin off your face. You’re in enough trouble as it is.” 

As much as he was just warned against doing so, Jack rolled his eyes. “Yeah, I realize that.” 

“Do you? I wonder sometimes.” 

“Mom, please just leave me alone?” Jack begged. “I’ve been drinking all day. I’m tired and just want to sleep the alcohol off. I promise I’ll be good and wait here. And don’t worry, I’m already going to get an earful from Dad later.”

“And the military. We are handing you over to them first thing tomorrow morning.” Before Rose walked out of the room, she stopped by the door and reminded Jack, “This door stays open.”

Jack hadn’t given too much thought into the fact that he just committed a serious military offence by not showing up for work. It was just another thing to add to the list of things that would suck for him tomorrow. 

Jack was called to wake up by a familiar voice. It was the cheery sound that his father’s voice made when he cooked breakfast for the family. It had been six hours since he’d fallen asleep. Ten hours since his father and boyfriend found him in his farmhouse. 

“Jacky, wake up buddy, it’s time for dinner.” 

Jack rubbed his eyes until they were able to make out that his room was quite dark. He looked over toward his table clock and read that it was forty minutes past midnight. “Dad?” Jack questioned.

“Yes, Jack?” 

“Isn’t it a little late for dinner?” At the same time, Jack’s stomach growled loudly.

“I’m guessing that answered your question? Also, it’s just gonna be us two. Your mother and sister already ate and went to bed.”

Silas was being nice. Jack always found this Silas to be the most pleasant, but it was unnerving. “I was expecting you to beat me or yell at me or lock me in the basement. I didn't expect dinner.” Jack half-heartedly admitted. He didn't want any of those things to happen. Silas’ smile dropped for a moment. Suddenly, Jack had an idea flash. “Unless this is my final meal.”

“It very well may be.” Silas bluntly answered. 

For dinner, Silas cooked a lasagna. It wasn't necessarily Jack's favourite meal, but in making it, it must have taken Silas hours. Hours that Silas spent doing the one thing that was sure to calm him down. 

Jack picked at his food. He had just enough bites to satisfy his stomach. 

“Oh, come on Jack. I know it's not your favourite, but it did turn out pretty well.” 

Jack put his fork down and looked at his father. “Are we going to talk about this?”

Silas groaned as he looked down to his plate. “Always to the point with you.” Jack nodded. “Well where should we begin?”

“Are you gonna kill me or Joseph?” 

“No. I wanted to, though. Your mother talked me out of it.” Silas stuffed another forkful of lasagna in his mouth. 

“What will happen to me?”

Silas brushed away a few stray crumbs with his napkin before he resigned to speak to his son. “You will answer for your absence to the military in whatever way they see fit to punish you.” 

Jack already knew about that one. “Will you be presiding over the court?”

“Possibly.” 

“What will your punishment be then?”

“My belt across your backside!” Silas yelled out in frustration. Jack hadn't flinched. He knew better than any how his father was full of empty threats such as that. Silas took in a deep breath to calm himself once again. “Well I would, but your mother said something to the effect that that type of punishment is inappropriate and ineffective. She said that at your age, I should try to reason with you and talk things out.”

Jack nodded his head in agreement. “Then let’s talk.”

“Not here.”


	5. Chapter 5

“What’s this?” Jack asked as they pulled up to an older styled house in the middle of nowhere in the country side. They had been driving for the better part of the last two or so hours. The entire trip had been silent as they watched outside their windows at the darkness. 

“My farmhouse.” Silas tersely answered as he killed the engine and got out of the car. 

Jack slowly removed himself from the car as well. He had never been to this place before. He could only guess that this is where he went all those times he said he was going off to the countryside and spent a night or two away from the city. 

“What? Is this like your alternative life?” Jack joked. “Next, you’re going to tell me you have a secret family of yours here.”

Silas only looked at him. He didn’t confirm or deny what his son had just said. Jack eventually put everything together in his mind. His facial expressions changed as he come to the understanding of what is was that his father was trying to tell him. 

“We aren’t as different as you try to make us out to be, Jack.” Silas finally admitted.

“You son of a bitch! How could you?!” Jack ran to front door. “Open this door! I want to see!”

Silas slowly made his way over to where his son was waiting for him. “What do you think you’ll see?”

Jack’s eyes narrowed. “All of your lies.”

Before Silas unlocked the front door, he grabbed ahold of Jack’s arm. “You will not make a scene here! You will wait until we are alone.” Jack just blinked back in return.

The front door opened to a modest and dimly lit foyer. Silas led Jack to the living room. “Have a seat. I’ll be right back.”

Silas made his way up stairs. Jack took the time to look around the room. There were photos hanging on the walls and upon the mantle of the fireplace. The pictures were of a woman and her young son. The woman was naturally tanned with long brown hair. She looked pretty much the opposite of the way his mother looked. The little boy was clearly her son. They had the same skin and hair colour. Jack couldn’t help but wonder why his father chose to spend so much of his time with a woman who already had a family. 

“Jack, I’d like you to meet Helen.” Silas reappeared in the living room holding the hand of the woman in the pictures. She was even more beautiful in person than her photographs gave her credit for. Jack understood what his father was reveling to him. This woman, that was holding his hand, was his lover. “Helen, this is Jack, my oldest son.” 

Helen pleasantly smiled at Jack, but it was clear that she felt just as awkward in the situation as Jack did. Obviously Helen knew who Jack was. It must have been some sort of agreement between the two that Silas would keep both his lover and his family away from each other. Silas was breaking that promise to her. 

Another thought occurred to Jack. His father normally introduced him as ‘his son, Jack,’ instead, Silas had purposely said, ‘my oldest son, Jack.’ Jack was his only son. There was no need to say oldest. Michelle was four minutes older than him so he wasn’t even technically the oldest anyway. 

“How long?” Jack had alot of emotions built into his voice that he was trying to disguise. 

“For more than twenty-two years. We met when we were teenagers.”

“Do you love her?” His voice grew even quieter. 

“Yes.” It was out in the open. Neither one could take anything back now. 

“And Mom? Do you love her?”

“Yes.” Silas let the words sink in before elaborating on it more in detail. “I love your Mother, your sister and you. We are a family and will always be. I also love Helen and Seth. They are also my family.”

“Seth, the boy in the pictures? Who is he?” By this point he could already guess the answer to this question, but he needed to hear it outloud. 

“He’s the son of Helen and I.”

Jack closed his eyes as the tears couldn’t be contained. Helen had also clearly had enough of this charade as she quietly excused herself and went back up the stairway. 

It was just Jack and Silas again. “Why are you telling me all of this? You could have gone the rest of your life and I never would have known about any of this. Why show me this now?” 

Silas moved closer to Jack. He held his arms open for his son. “I told you, we aren’t that different.” Jack wasn’t sure if he should accept his father’s hug, but after the whirlwind of emotions that stormed through him, he was too helpless to not accept it. Silas tightened his arm around his son’s back and used his other arm to pat down Jack’s hair. He whispered for Jack to hush as he heard him start to sniffle. “Jack, Helen is my Joseph.”

Jack looked up, into his father’s eyes. For the first time in his life, he finally felt as though he and his father could understand one another. Jack rested his head back on his father’s chest. They stayed like that for a few minutes longer before Silas pulled Jack away.

“We can talk about everything on the ride back. Right now, I have a very upset woman upstairs that I need to go comfort. Wait here. Please don’t go running off or doing anything else stupid.” He planted a kiss on his forehead before heading upstairs.

Jack was by far too upset to do anything but wait for him to get back. He sat back on the couch. He imagined his father coming home to this quiet, little house when he had a rough day in the city. Helen would greet him with open arms. He even had a child with this woman. As much as Jack felt cheated out of his father, he couldn’t help but to be sympathetic toward him. If anyone in the world understood why Silas went through all of this secrecy, it was Jack. Silas was promised to the world to be one person, but that person wasn’t who he really was. Jack knew that the marriage between his mother and father was purely for the sake of the money that his mother’s family brought into the wedding. If there was another woman that had stolen his father’s heart before he met his mother, Silas would have had to stifle his feelings for the other woman and marry another woman out of need, rather than love. Everything his father said to him about his sexuality finally sounded less bitter and more realistic. 

“Jack, let’s go.” Silas said from the foyer. Jack silently followed his father back to the car. He was lost in his own thoughts as he absently climbed in the passenger seat. As soon as the engine was started and they were already on their way away from the country dwelling, Silas broke the silence. “Well, let me hear it.”

Jack looked up at his father with a sad look on his face. “What do you want me to say?”

“Whatever it is that is going on in that head of yours. I’m open to listening.” Silas had a genuine smile on his face as he spoke. 

Jack needed a minute to gather the rest of his thoughts. “You never wanted me to suppress my sexuality, just hide it from everyone. Keep it in secrecy.”

“Jack, I’m going to be straight with you.” Silas began. “I wish to God that you weren’t gay. I wish you never had to be placed in a situation like this. I was disgusted by everything when I first learned about what you did with other guys. The picture I had of you with another boy was from probably a year ago. I couldn’t bring myself to bring it up to you. More than anything, I wanted to ignore it. I thought, well maybe he’s just experimenting. I saw the signs, though. I knew. I could see just how much you didn’t want to be around all of those women you brought with you to parties. I caught you flirting once with a boy outside by the pool at a party once. I was livid. I wanted right then and there to tear you a new one.” Silas trailed off. 

“Dad, do you hate me?” Jack had been wanting to ask that question ever since the day Silas had confronted him about his interest in boys. 

Silas took an uncomfortably long time to answer. Jack lowered his head and waited for the worst. “If I’m being honest with you, I don’t hate you. You are still my son. I will always care about you and love you. I will always protect you and be there for you. You are still my heir. You will still inherit the country from me. But you drive me insane sometimes. Most days, I think that I can’t take anymore of it. You push me. I think you do this on purpose. You push just to see how far I’ll push back. This whole week you’ve nearly drove both me and your mother to an early grave. And the worst part is I don’t think you care. I think you are so self-obsessed that you don’t even notice how much you hurt those around you.” Silas let his words sink in. “You see now how much I have scarified for this family, for this country. You are not the only one. But, if you are to give up everything, hand the crown off to your sister, then you will produce an heir. That is the only thing I will ask of you.”

Jack was in tears from his father’s speech. It always astounded him just how powerful his father's words could be. He had never stopped to think about anyone else. He had only ever saw the pain that he felt deep in his heart for being denied a chance to love the only person he would ever love that much. The last part of his father's speech had him asking one final question. “What about Seth?”

“What about him?” Silas stared down Jack. 

“Couldn't he still be your heir? Produce a grandchild for you?”

“No. Seth is inflicted with the same illness your sister has. He is sterile, too. He may not ever make it to his adulthood.” A tear fell down the King’s cheek as he spoke about his youngest. 

The King’s solemn mood turned sour in an instant. “Put your pride aside for a moment! As much of a pain in the ass as you are, I've been pretty lenient on you. I have overlooked a lot of the things you've done. This tantrum of yours will be handled accordingly. Seth is only seven and he stopped having childish fits years ago. I've let you become the spoiled brat you are now. I take away one thing from you and you disappear into the woods for three days! You neglect work and you spend your time drinking away your sorrows.”

This was the lecture that Jack had been anticipating from his father since the moment he was found in the bedroom of the farmhouse. 

“What's going to happen now?” Jack asked with a hushed voice. 

“As soon as we get back to the castle, you will go make yourself as presentable as possible in your uniform. I will call your commander and have him come to the house to retrieve you. You will be honest with them and cooperate with them as they decide your fate. Once everything is said and done, you will remain at the castle. You can bet your ass that you are indefinitely grounded.”

“What about my boyfriend?”

“What about him?”

“Will I ever be able to see him again?”

Silas placed a heavy hand on his son’s shoulder. “Maybe, one day when this is all over, I'll take the two of you out to the countryside with me. There are no secrets there. And later, after you've taken a wife and become King, you'll have your own little house in the countryside where you won't have any secrets. Until then, no more of these tantrums, ok?”

A smile slowly came to Jack's lips as his father had finally agreed to give his blessing to Jack's relationship with Joseph. “Deal.” 

Once the car came to a rolling stop in the driveway of the castle, Jack and his father made their way to the front door. Before opening it, Jack stopped. “Dad,” he spoke cautiously.

“Yes, son?” Jack answered his father by throwing his arms around him in an embrace. It had caught Silas off guard as he almost lost his balance and stumbled over. He didn't, though. Silas hugged his son in return. 

“Thanks. I'm sorry I caused you so much trouble. I love you, Dad.”

Silas placed another kiss on his son’s forehead. “I love you too, Jack.” Silas pulled them apart. “Now go get changed. Apologize to your mother when she wakes.” Silas gave his son a listless swat to his bottom before wagging a finger at him. “I swear to God, if you ever do anything that stupid again…” He let his threat hang in the air. 

Jack finally return to his same cheeky self when he replied back. “You know I will, Dad.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Explicit sexual content

The courtroom was in full swing the morning of Jack's judgement. He had been found guilty of neglecting his duties the day before. It was the lightest sentence the courts could find for the decorated army Major. Today, his father will listen to the defence and prosecutors give their arguments for what Jack's punishment should be and the King will ultimately decide between the two. 

Jack had been daydreaming at almost every trial since the case began. He was more excited than anything to end the trial. He had been released into his parents’ custody instead of spending his time in a military prison. He was currently under house arrest and had only been allowed to leave his home to travel to court and back. Once the trial was over, he'd be able to visit Joseph. He had so much he wanted to tell him about. Sure his father had told him the day he found him that he would continue to be grounded even at the end of the trial, but just like all of his father’s threats, it wasn't going to be enforced and Jack knew that. 

“…And that is why, your honour, we seek that Major Jonathan Benjamin be discharged from the service.” 

Jack's heart plummeted. Never had he imagined the prosecution would come to that decision. The media zoomed their attention on Jack's reaction to the suggestion. He tried his best to hold back any reaction he could make. He didn't want to be discharge. He greatly enjoyed his service in the army. He was proud to be the youngest Major ever in the country. 

It was the defence’s turn to sway the judge to choose a lighter sentence. Jack closely paid attention to his attorney’s speech. “Your honour, Major Benjamin is the youngest Major in the history of this country. He began his service at the age of 17, which is the youngest age he could, by law. He started out as low Ensign and rose smartly through the ranks. He has proven over and over just how dedicated he is to the service of his country. Some have suggested that his rank is paid for by you, yourself, your honour. They say that had Major Benjamin not been the son of the King, he would not have made it so far, so quickly. I would have to disagree with those people. Major Benjamin has performed his military duties to the highest degree that anyone should inspire to. None of his promotions have ever been prompted by your penmanship. He has earned his rank fairly. 

“In this current case, I urge everyone to take a moment and reflect if what is in the best interest of the service is to remove this man from his position. Major Benjamin is not without his flaws, but nobody is. The best we can ask for is that he strives every day to make up for the harm he has caused. In Major Benjamin’s case, his service record already shows he will be committed to that. 

“That is why, your honour, I ask for your mercy, and I request Major Jonathan Benjamin is awarded 45 days restriction, 45 days extra duty and forfeits 2 months of pay to the service.”

Jack had been expecting no more and no less from his father. He knew he would not get out of this with just a slap on the wrist. King Silas looked at his son before he gave the order for the courts to recess. 

An hour later and the court reconvened. 

King Silas stood to give his finally judgement. “In the case of the Military of Gilboa vs Major Jonathan Benjamin, the defendant was found guilty of neglecting his duties to the service. A crime which is not to be taken lightly. Major Benjamin has proven his commitment to the service over his career. For such a reason, I cannot order he be discharged from the service. I also cannot let him off with just a slap on the wrist. 

“Major Benjamin, I am awarding you 60 days restriction, 60 days extra duty, 2 months’ pay forfeited back to the service and reduction in rank to Captain with a 6 month suspension.” The King’s gravel struck down to sign his words into law. 

Jack couldn't believe his father had taken his rank away from him. He had earned his rank! He planned to exchange words with him as soon as they got back to the castle. Jack had been told that he would have until 0600 the next morning to be escorted to fulfill his 60 days restriction. That was a mercy the King had requested. 

Once they were back to their home, Jack was about to open up his mouth to speak, but Silas cut him off by pointing a finger in his face. “Don't you dare start. Go upstairs, cool off. I will meet you up there in a bit and we will discuss this.” Jack reluctantly agreed and went wordlessly to his room. 

When Jack opened the door to his room, he was greeted by a visitor. It was none other than Jack's boyfriend, Joseph. Jack slammed the door shut and grabbed Joseph tightly. “I'm never letting go of you ever again.” Joseph had hugged him back, but more out of duty than will. Jack noticed his hesitation. 

“Joseph, what is it?”

“I'm sorry, Jack. This, all of this, it's too much for me. I know I said that this is what I wanted for us, but now that it's here, I don't know if I can do it.” Tears rolled down Joseph's cheeks as he spoke. 

“What do you mean, Joseph? We already have everything. There's nothing that's going to come between us again. My father and I worked out an agreement where we can still have each other.” 

“He told me. You get to have me, while I wait for you to randomly show up at my door in the middle of nowhere with nothing and no one around. You continue to live your life, you take a wife and have children. All the while you lie to them about where you go for days on end.”

“It's the best that I can do.” Jack was pleading with Joseph now. “You must see that!” 

Joseph shook his head. 

“You knew exactly who I was the day you fell in love with me! You knew it would come down to this! I've now given you more than either of us ever dreamed possible, and you turn your back on me?” 

“I'm sorry, Jack!” Joseph cried out. “But you're asking me to give up my life, my future, my happiness, my friends and my family!”

“It's no less than you asked of me!” Jack bitterly snapped back. 

“And you weren't willing to.” Joseph meekly reminded him. He turned away from Jack. “I came tonight to tell you good-bye.”

Jack threw his arms around Joseph. He stayed there, Jack's chest pressed against Joseph's back. “I was wrong then. I should never have left that night.”

Joseph cradled his hands over Jack's arms in front of him. He rested his head on Jack's neck. “But you did.” 

“I'll never leave ever again. I promise.” Jack kissed the side of Joseph's face. 

“I wish I could believe you, Jack. I really do.” Joseph turned in Jack's arms and was facing him once again. “You hurt me. I don't know if we can ever go back to the way things were.”

Jack's eyes fell to the ground. His father had made his point about how much he had hurt his family, but he never considered that he'd hurt Joseph. 

“I'll do anything to make it up to you.” Jack spoke softly. “Want to come to dinner and meet my family properly?”

Joseph let out a choked laugh. “I'm pretty sure that's the story that got us into this mess in the first place.” 

“But we never finished it.”

“If I remember correctly, it didn't end well.” 

“It will end however we decide how it ends. It's our story.” Jack smiled at Joseph in his smile that he saved only for Joseph and only when the two of them were alone. 

Joseph's heart was melting and he was finding it harder to say good-bye. 

“Joseph, without you, I have nothing. I can't possibly be me without you in my life. Even if I take a wife, she will be meaningless to me. I will never be satisfied by her.” Jack was whispering now. “It is selfish for me to ask for you to give your life to me in return only for my love, but that's all I have to offer, Joseph. I have nothing else to give you.”

Joseph brushed his hand over his lover’s face. “I guess that's all I would ever want from you.” Joseph smiled. “I realize how foolish I was to come here and deny that your love would be enough for me. When your father told me about what you guys had agreed to, he said it in such a way that I couldn’t stand the thought. Maybe it will be lonely and it will be hard on the both of us, but I am willing to try. If it means that we can be together, then I'll do anything.” Joseph leaned in and kissed Jack. 

Joseph's kiss had been gentle, but Jack wasn't in the mood to be gentle. Jack shoved Joseph into the closest wall, passionately parting his lips and exploring his mouth. Usually, Jack would be much gentler than he was now, but he was feeling selfish. This was his last night of freedom for the next two months. They were alone in his room, in the castle! Jack had only ever fantasized about being able to sleep with Joseph in his childhood bedroom. His Dad arranged this. This was the first time Jack was at peace with himself in a long time. 

Joseph trying to break up with Jack had fueled his assault. Jack was pushing Joseph further into the wall. He was nibbling on Joseph's neck. Normally, Jack would never leave a mark, but this was different. He needed Joseph to know that he was his. Jack wouldn't see him for two months, he wanted to leave a lasting impression. Jack opened his mouth wide and bit down on the skin just between Joseph's neck and shoulders. 

Joseph jerked and let out a squeak. Jack ignored him. Joseph didn't want to say no to his lover, but he wanted the pain to stop. Joseph put his hands on Jack's chest and half-heartedly tried pushing him off. Jack reached out and grabbed a hold of both of Joseph's wrists and pinned them against the wall. Jack stopped biting with his teeth and began sucking on the skin. As much as Joseph had wishes he'd stop, both of them noticed just how much this turned on Joseph. 

When Jack finally broke his suction, he looked down at Joseph's erection and laughed. “Joseph, you naughty boy. Looks like you do like it rough sometimes.” Moving his lips back to Joseph's neck, Jack leaned in and whispered in his ear. “I told you if I ever got you alone in my room, I'd fuck you. I'm about to make good on that promise.”

Jack picked Joseph up as Joseph wrapped his legs around Jack's waist. Jack carried the pair of them to his bed and he gently lowered Joseph to the mattress. Jack went to town undressing them. First he removed his own shirt and then Joseph's. He moved on to Joseph's shoes and socks and eventually his pants and underwear. 

Joseph was still hard and ready for Jack. Jack licked his own lips together as he took in the sight of Joseph's naked body, on his bed, waiting for Jack to fuck him. Jack removed his own pants before climbing on top of Joseph. Their dicks touched as Jack forced his tongue inside Joseph's mouth. 

After they finally parted, Joseph could see the sweat dripping down from Jack's forehead. He couldn't help but think how beautiful this man was and how passionately he made love. Jack was preparing himself to penetrate Joseph. He was rubbing his pre-cum around his dick as an impromptu lubrication. Jack then moved his mouth down to Joseph's ass and began sucking on his hole. Joseph held back a loud moan and resigned himself to tossing his hand in Jack's hair. Jack stuck one finger in and then two. The process of prepping Joseph would usually take longer and would usually involve more lube, but Jack didn't have any stashed away in his room and he was being selfish tonight. 

“Are you ready for me?” Jack asked seductively. It didn't matter what Joseph said, Jack was already pushing his dick inside. Jack had one of Joseph's legs propped up on his shoulder. While he began moving inside him, Jack moved Joseph’s other leg to his other shoulder. 

The sudden pressure had Joseph gasping for air. While it was exciting and he knew he was going to orgasm quickly from this, he was also scared the pain may last this time. “Slower.” Joseph barely breathe out. 

Jack almost considered ignoring his pleas. Jack had meant to be rough with him tonight, but not to hurt him. Jack's selfishness wore off. He moved as close as he could move to Joseph's body without removing his dick. He kissed Joseph on the lips. “I love you.” He said breathlessly. Without warning, Jack latched his hands under Joseph's back and flipped them so Joseph was now on top. Joseph was amazed that they just switched positions so flawlessly. 

“Better?”

It wasn’t really a question worth asking. Either would have been fine. It was the thought alone that suggested the kindness. “Perfect. You’re perfect.” Joseph leant down to kiss his lover sweetly. Sweat mixed on their lips. The salty taste made Jack lick at his lips after they parted. Jack watched as Joseph bounced himself. Jack never really liked this position because he couldn’t control the speed or force, but for now, he was content with it. Joseph was rocking his hips in a movement that kept Jack moaning. Joseph knew that Jack wanted this to be harder tonight so he made an effort to give him exactly what he wanted. He watched as Jack’s face contorted in pleasure. Jack kept biting at his own lip to muffle his moans. 

It didn’t take long for Jack to take back control like they both knew he was going to. He grabbed ahold of Joseph and sat up. He scooted them to the edge of the bed. He let himself hang just far enough off the edge that he could thrust his hips as forcefully as he pleased. By this point, there wouldn’t be any pain for Joseph because he was stretched out enough. Jack put his hands on Joseph’s hips and bounced him up and down with the movement of his own thrusts. 

“Cum for me, baby.” Jack muttered into Joseph’s ear. It was enough for Joseph to cum all over Jack’s stomach. Jack pushed in him a few more times until he too released his built up frustration and tension. 

“I love you, Jack.” Joseph kissed him after Jack came inside him.  
 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I've been a little apprehensive about posting more of this story. I haven't gotten any feed back yet, so I'm not sure what you guys think of it. This story will probably become more darker and graphic. When I write stories, the more I push the envelope, the more interesting they are for me as a writer, inadvertently, more interesting to read, I'd hope.
> 
> Also, I am aware that the way in which I am writing some of the characters is our of character. This is somewhat on purpose to make a better story. Please no flames, but honest criticism is welcome :)


	7. Chapter 7

Jack and Joseph had been lying on Jack's bed ever since they finished having sex. Neither redressed themselves. Jack was laying on top of Joseph. The two had been quietly whispering. 

“Jack?” Joseph had a question he had been meaning to ask for a while now. He had Jack's complete attention so he continued with his question. “The farmhouse. You never talk about it in a good way.” 

There wasn't a lot of things that Jack felt uncomfortable sharing with Joseph, but the farmhouse was definitely one of those. “Well, seeing as you tracked me down to it, I guess you have a right to know.” Jack paused a moment before continuing. “I found it when I was a child. I had went on a hike though the woods and stumbled on it. Imagine the excitement I had when I found an entire abandoned house all to myself. It was my secret hang out spot. When I got older, my friends and I would spend our nights out there drinking until the sun came up. 

“One time, we decided to host a party there for a weekend. I must have been about fourteen or so. We invited only about ten or twelve people. We all got so incredibly drunk, but never got a hang over because as soon as we woke, we'd just start drinking again. Anyway, there was this girl who came. She was a couple years older than me. She was blonde and tall. All of the guys were so jealous when she took me into the bedroom and shut the door. I remember saying to myself how much I wanted this. Every other guy I knew would have want it, so why didn't I? I lost my virginity to her that night. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't good either. 

“The next morning, she wanted to fuck again. I couldn't. She tried everything to turn me on, but nothing worked. After drinking more than I should have that day, I passed out. She used my body and did what she wanted to it.” Tears rolled down Jack's cheeks. “She didn't even make it private. I was in the living room. Everyone watched it happen. Nobody tried to stop it. They all joked about how much someone like me should be thankful for that happening.” 

Joseph cradled Jack in his arms. “Joseph, she did that to me. Over and over again. In front of people I thought were my friends.”

“Jack, I'm sorry.” Joseph rubbed his hands up and down Jack's back. 

“After I woke up the next day and everyone told me about what happened, I kicked them all out. I felt so miserable and couldn't stand the thought of anyone seeing me like that, so I stayed at the farmhouse for the next few days. I was already confused about my sexuality before that happened, but after, I felt so worthless. I felt like I failed at being a human. If that was something I was supposed to want but didn't, then there must have been something wrong with me. 

“I didn't go back home until the next Friday. I was expecting to be in trouble for not being home for a week and missing a week of school, but instead of being yelled at and grounded, my Dad grabbed me by my arm and threw me down the stairs and locked me in the basement. I was locked down there for three days, until I had to go to school.”

Joseph could have guessed that whatever the story was, it wasn't a good memory, but never expected to hear that. Jack was raped in front of his friends and congratulated for it. Instead of listening, his father abused him further. Joseph already didn't like Silas, but that just topped everything. 

“What happened after you dropped me off the day we found you at the farmhouse?” Joseph was already feeling guilty because he worried that Silas might have hurt Jack, but after listening to that story, he needed to be sure. 

“He didn't hurt me, if that's why you're asking. He wanted to kill me. He told me so, many times. I thought he actually might this time. He also threatened to beat me a few times, but I knew he wouldn't do that. Instead, we talked things out, and he only yelled at me alittle. It wasn't all that bad.”

Jack leaned in and kissed Joseph. He planted sweet kisses down his chin to the black and purple bruise growing on his shoulder. Joseph flinched slightly when Jack's lips touched the mark. Jack looked at Joseph. “I'm sorry if I hurt you.”

Joseph didn't know what to say. It did hurt, but it was also enjoyable. “Why'd you do it?”

“I'm going away for two months. I wanted something for you to remember me by.”

“Did you think I'd forget about you?”

“You were the one that came here to break up with me.”

Neither of them were taking pleasure in this conversation. Jack tried to lighten the mood. “I'll kiss it and make it better.” Jack's tongue trailed along the edges of the bruise. If anything, Joseph was feeling ticklish by it. When Jack noticed, he purposely used his tongue to find out where else his boyfriend was ticklish. His neck seemed to be the right place. 

Joseph tried squirming away, but Jack held him down. “Jack! Stop!” Joseph wasn't really trying to get away. 

A knock was heard at Jack's bedroom door. Jack groaned as he moved to grab his pants. Jack only propped the door open enough for the visitor to not be able to see the naked man in Jack's bed. 

Thomasina was at the door. “Dinner will be served in an hour. Tell your guest that there will be a car waiting for him.”

Jack groaned. He wasn't ready for Joseph to have to leave already. “Does he have to go?” Jack asked shyly. Thomasina sometimes would fall for Jack's charm and he hoped this would be one of those times. 

“Your father made it perfectly clear that you would have a family dinner and go to bed to be ready for tomorrow.” Jack gave his best attempt to give her his doe eyes. “I think your father has been more than lenient with you lately.”

Jack nodded and returned to his room, shutting the door. Joseph looked up in curiosity. “Dinner will be ready in an hour. They'll have a car waiting to take you back then.” Joseph nodded in understanding. He already knew that he'd have to leave by dinner time. “My father already told you that?” Joseph nodded. “What exactly did he say?”

“He sent the lady that just came by to my door. He was waiting in the car. He said that I shouldn't be worried that she knew.” Jack had known Thomasina ever since he was a boy. He trusted her to keep his secret. “He said that you'd want a friend to be there for you when you got out of court today. He also thought you might try to sneak out of the house and come see me if I wasn't there.” Jack snorted. He was going to sneak out as soon as he was home. “He said I could stay till dinner, but then I'd have to leave. Then he went on about the deal you two worked out about how we could still see each other.” 

Jack listened. He couldn't really be mad at his father. He was atleast holding up his end of the bargain. 

“Jack? What's gonna happen to you? You know, when you go away for the next two months.” 

Jack smirked at him. “I'll be fine. Don't worry.” Joseph stared at him looking for a longer explanation. Jack resigned and sat beside him on the bed. “I've watched over the people on restrictions before. They'll strip me of my rank, my title, my name and my uniform. They only call you by your first name there. It's all a mind game to make you feel like you aren't worthy enough to be in the service anymore. I'll be locked in a room with all of the other guys on restriction. It'll almost be like I'm in prison, but not really at the same time, more like I went back to boot camp. They'll be strict. I'll spend my days scrubbing the floors with a tooth brush. I won't have any privacy.” Jack smiled at Joseph. “Believe me, it won't be that bad.”

Joseph seemed a little more reassured. They spent their last hour together cuddled up on the bed, randomly kissing and making out, all the while telling each other just how much they would be missed.


	8. Chapter 8

After Thomasina retrieved Joseph from Jack's room, Jack made an effort to get out of bed and get dressed. He knew his mother would expect him to dress neatly, yet causal. He settled for a dark green, thin sweater and black slacks. Rose had insisted on having a family dinner with just the four of them. As causal as that might sound, there wasn't much that was done causally in this family. 

Jack entered the dinning room only to find it deserted, save for the dinnerware that decorated the table. He heard his father loudly laugh from the kitchen area. Silas must be cooking tonight. 

When Jack entered the kitchen, he waited in the doorway, leaning against the frame. He observed from afar. Silas was stirring one pot after another, Michelle was reciting the story of her day and his mother was setting out all of the proper dishes for the food to be placed in. Jack inhaled the scent of eggplant parmigiana. It must have been his mother’s idea to eat something healthy. 

Everyone became quiet when Silas stopped what he was doing because he saw Jack at the doorway. “Ah, Jack, come on in. Dinner will be ready in a few minutes.” Jack made his way into the room and sat beside his sister on the island bar stools. “I trust you had a pleasant nap.”

Jack forced himself to stifle his chuckle to the fact that his father just referred to Jack fucking his boyfriend as ‘napping.’ “It was indeed a good one.” Jack looked down to avoid blushing and giving himself away. 

“Good. Then all is well in the kingdom.” Silas toasted with his spatula. 

Michelle seemed to have noticed Jack's blush and stared at him while he looked down. As much as Jack loved his twin, he went out of his way to avoid her at times because she had some kind of a gift at reading him. He could do the same to her, but Michelle was simple minded. She wanted the world to have peace and harmony. She hated it when her family fought. Jack knew she had been upset at him for causing all of the commotion lately. 

Michelle placed her hand on Jack's leg and asked, “are you ok?”

Jack risked looking her in the eyes. “Just nervous about tomorrow.” He lied. Michelle knew he lied. She opened her mouth to speak but she read that Jack didn't want to discuss anything right now. 

So, instead, she played along. She got out of her seat and gave Jack a nice massage. “You'll be ok. It's only two months and then you’re free again.”

“And you have no one to blame for that except yourself!” Silas butted in. “I want you to think about that.”

Jack was ready to throw back at him that Silas was the one who decided his fate, but his sister kneaded her hands deeper into his shoulders to make him think twice. 

“Well, with what this family has gone through these past few weeks,” Rose spoke, “I think that maybe we could start planning some sort of vacation. Just the four of us. In two months, when Jack is back, we could, I don't know, go camping or something.”

“I can't.” Jack countered. “After I get out of restrictions, I have another two months of extra duty, meaning they’ll have me working everyday.”

An uncomfortable silence fell. It was Rose that broke it. “I just don't understand why you did it. Why risk your career to get drunk in the woods? You've gone to work still drunk from the night before. Why didn't you just show up or call in sick?”

Rose’s question had no real intensity to it and Jack doubted she’d force an answer out of him, but everyone was thinking the same thing. Silas was also curious. Jack looked at his Dad to change the topic, but he didn't say anything. 

“It was stupid. I was being stupid. I don't even remember why I was so upset.” That was only partially a lie. Jack knew that he initially went to the farmhouse to get shit-faced because he was conflicted about wanting to be the man Joseph knew he should be and being the man that his family wanted him to be. Missing work was only an after thought. He knew it wrong, but he let his emotions engulf him. It was kind of the same as the time he was raped in the farmhouse and didn't leave for five days. He needed time to figure himself out. 

The timer buzzed and broke everyone's stare. Jack was grateful for it. 

“Dinner’s ready.” Silas announced.


	9. Chapter 9

The risk was worth it. It was always worth it. The steam between Jack and Joseph was enough to fog all the windows. In the clouded cover, they were at the will to be whoever God decided they'd be. It was never a choice, only an appetite that could never be satisfied. 

“More.” 

The never ending noise that were omnipresent. God must look down at the lot he created and think that they were doing everything he'd meant for them to do. Every moan, every thrust, every climax, it was God that deemed it to be righteous. 

Jack grunted when the fullness of God’s wordless decree struck him and he came inside Joseph. 

Joseph was succulent. He was the best tasting faith Jack needed. If it wasn't for moments such as these, Jack would have never believed God was anything more than a story his father concocted to trick the people of Gilboa that a monarch was not only possible, but needed. 

“More.” 

A beg, a plea, a hope, a sanction. 

“More, Jack!” Joseph's voice grew louder. “More!”

The voice in Jack's head no longer sounded like Joseph, but the cruel drill instructor burdened with his care. Jack was brought back to the cold reality of being stuck in restrictions. His drill instructor had told them to run an outdoor course. The trail was close to three quarters of a mile, by Jack's guess. Every time he passed the starting line, the instructor would yell out to do more laps. Jack didn't mind running long distances. He'd let his mind drift away into day dreams as his legs carried him. The only thing Jack could ever daydream about was Joseph.

He missed him. They were at a good point in their relationship. Jack met Joseph once at a bar. Jack had seen him watching him from afar all night. It was toward the end of the night when Jack decided to act. He slipped behind Joseph as he waited in line to use the restroom. Jack whispered in his ear, “you've been eyeing me up all night.”

Joseph didn't turn around. He knew who was talking to him. “I… I'm sorry if I offended you… Your highness.” 

Jack rolled his eyes at the last part. That was a name saved for his father. “Why?”

Joseph spoke in confusion. “Why am I sorry?”

“Why have you been eyeing me?” Joseph was the next person in line to use the urinal. 

Joseph was clearly shy to admit he had a crush on the prince. “I'm sorry.”

“Don't be.” As soon as a urinal became available, Jack grabbed Joseph by his collar and dragged him into an open stall. As soon as the door was latched, they became lip-locked. That was the first time they had sex. Jack never knew Joseph's name. 

The next time Jack caught Joseph looking at him had been a week later, at a club. This time, it wasn't Jack that caught him staring. The blonde girl that he choose to be his lover for the night had mentioned the guy who was awkwardly staring at him from the bar. Jack acted completely uninterested and continued making out with her. 

Before Jack slipped away with her for the night, he told her he had to relieve himself. He made sure Joseph was following him as he slipped out a back door to a dark alley. As soon as they were outside, Jack shoved Joseph up against a brick wall. “Why are you following me?” Jack was sincere about this question, unlike the seductive question he asked a week ago. 

“I'm not going to apologize this time.” Joseph said matter of factly. 

“Don’t. You need to stop. This needs to stop.”

“Stop what? Having incredible hot sex at random times, in random places?” 

That sentence sent chills down Jack's body as he thought about it. The fact that Joseph had been so blunt about it, turned him on more. It's been a fantasy of Jack's for a while now to have someone that he can bang at a moment’s notice, anonymously, with no commitments. “No strings, no names.” Jack threw his own terms into it. 

“No strings, no names.” Joseph agreed. 

“And you don't tell a soul.” Joseph nodded. It was good enough for Jack as he fucked Joseph for the second time. 

Four months had gone by when Jack first learned Joseph's first name. It was the first time they spent the night together. Not being able to find much privacy at the club of the day, they agreed to get a hotel room. Joseph paid for the sleazy room that was located just outside the city. He snuck Jack in. 

Instead of jumping straight into fucking, Jack took his time to absorb everything. While it might not have looked like much to anyone else, this was the first time Jack had ever been somewhere so run down. Sure he'd spent weeks on end living in a ditch on the battle field, but that was different. It wasn't a room that someone put a price on for someone else to buy. 

He let his finger trail along the horizontal surface of a picture on the wall. When he looked back at his finger, it was blacked with the amount of dirt and dust that filled the air. “This place is disgusting.”

Joseph just shrugged. “It's anonymous.”

“Just like us.” Jack whispered, almost to himself. 

Joseph was getting impatient. He'd got the room for one reason and now, all Jack wanted to do was speculate. He resigned to waiting for Jack on the bed. 

Jack sensed the impatiences in Joseph's movements. “We have the room for the night. It's not going anywhere.” Joseph just blankly stared back in return. “Unless you have to leave.”

“So you want to what? Cuddle and talk about our feelings?” Joseph said coldly. 

Jack bit at his lip. Sure he had intended on getting the room just for sex, but as soon as he got inside, he realized that this would be the very first time he'd be able to spend the night alone with a guy. He's been sleeping with the same guy for four months now and it's only ever been just sex. In a way, Jack felt cheated. He had ‘just sex’ with women almost daily. It never meant anything to him. This; this was different. This was someone who actually turned him on and he didn't feel obligated or pressured to be with. He wished he could spend all of his nights with this guy. But, Jack knew his feelings meant nothing. He could not have this. If he had it for even a night, he might not be able to give it up. 

“I think this might have been a bad idea.” Jack turned and headed toward the door. 

Joseph jumped out of bed and raced toward the door. He put his arm out to prevent Jack from opening the door. “Jack, wait!”

Jack shot his eyes toward Joseph as if he could kill him with a look. Joseph had just said his name. Joseph rolled his eyes at Jack's temper. “Oh, what? As if I didn't know your name. Everyone knows your name.” Joseph said bluntly. 

Jack continued to give him a death glare. “I told you, no names.” Jack spoke through clenched teeth. He was ready to punch Joseph in the face if he didn't allow him to leave. 

“Why? Because if we used names it would make this real?” Joseph continued. “But that's what you want, isn't it? That's why you're leaving. You want tonight to be more than just a hook up with a stranger.”

This man saw straight through Jack's wall. Jack didn't know whether to be furious or in awe. “You don't know anything about me.” Jack said, his voice laced with the emotional conflict he was having with himself. 

“No I don't.” Joseph agreed. “I only see the person you pretend to be.” Joseph took his arm from the door and put it on the side of Jack's face. “But I do know what it feels like when you're inside of me.” Joseph moved closer to Jack until he could feel his breath on his mouth. “I know how it feels when my cock is inside your mouth.” Joseph planted a kiss to Jack's cheek with every word. “I know what you taste like when you're desperate to cum,” Joseph parted Jack's mouth as he finished his sentence, “and how you suck on my lip to prevent yourself from yelling out.” With that, Joseph bit down on Jack's bottom lip just as Jack usually bites down on his. 

Jack felt his knees go weak. He'd never imagined that Joseph thought of him as anything other than the prince he got a chance to fuck once in awhile. The way Joseph talked about him wasn't about his celebrity status or the amount of money he possessed. All of the gossip columns that analyzed his party behaviours only ever talked about those things. That's the only thing women ever used him for. He used them in return for a reputation and a cover up. But this man in front of him never got to be seen with him in public and had never asked for a dime. Jack had actually offered him money in the past, to which Joseph had laughed it off and told him he was no hooker. Everyone had an ulterior motive for being with him. He just hadn't found out Joseph's yet. 

“Why? Why do you hang around me?” Jack asked as Joseph was kissing his open mouth. “I'm not a very good person, unless you want something from me.”

“I want you to fuck me.” Joseph moaned. 

Jack couldn't resist anymore. He'd get an answer eventually, but for now, he was satisfied with just this. Jack kissed him back. 

Jack and Joseph made their way over to the bed. Joseph was squirming to finally begin so he pulled his shirt off quickly. Jack straddled on top of him. Jack pulled off his shirt as well, but prevented Joseph from taking off his pants. Jack leaned down and kissed Joseph gently on his lips. Joseph was obviously not in the mood to go this slow. Joseph slipped his hands to Jack's pants and began unbuttoning them. Jack laughed as he slapped Joseph's hands away. “No, no.” Jack jokingly scolded. Joseph let out a whine. “I set the pace.” Joseph resigned. Jack always sets the pace. 

A thought struck Joseph. He pushed himself up and latched a hand around Jack's neck and pulled him slightly closer to him. “Joseph Lasile.” Jack turned his head in confusion. Joseph playfully smiled. “Then I set the terms of us.” Joseph stuck his tongue out. 

“Us?” Jack asked as he grabbed ahold of Joseph's tongue with his lips and nibbled on it slightly.


	10. Chapter 10

It was a stormy day outside and the normal, intense cycles of physical training were put on hold. Instead, the drill instructor deemed it appropriate to scrub the hallway floors with a tooth brush. Jack had actually cracked a laugh when he heard that, which earned him fifty push-ups. He had only told Joseph that as a joke and never imagined he'd actually be on his hands and knees doing suck a demeaning job. Yet, here he was. 

“Get used to it boys!” The drill instructor shouted down the hallway. “When you go and look for a wife but realize you are the pussy, you're going need to know how to do this kinda work.” 

Jack's blood boiled. He hated homophobic assholes like this prick. But he knew better. Everything here was a mind game. He bit on his tongue and kept his head down. 

“There’s always one!” Laughed the drill instructor. “Congratulations Matthew! You just outed yourself!” Jack knew that Matthew must have subconscious looked up when the drill instructor gave his banter. He was looking to get a rise out of someone. “What? Get sensitive to something I said? You piece of shit fag! Get to work!” 

“Isn't that something?” One of the guys said in near Jack, but to no one in particular. “I heard Matthew was married, with kids even.” He was shaking his head while continuing to clean. 

The drill instructor was no longer in the room so the sixteen guys were left to their own integrity. Someone that overheard the first guy called out. “Hey Matthew,” Matthew looked up, but was clearly embarrassed by the whole situation. “Are you really married with kids and gay?” Matthew didn't answer, but went back to scrubbing. “Hey! I asked you a question!”

As intrigued as Jack was in Matthew’s personal life, same as everyone else it seemed, he wasn't about to sit there and watch these people harass this man for it. “He doesn't want to answer. Let him be.” Jack was quiet. He didn't want to cause a scene. 

The guy, Gary, wouldn't let it go that easy. He was one of those types, Jack thought. Jack has led numerous battalions of men over the years. He's seen all types of men. Those that take orders. Those that give orders. Those that question orders. This guy, he was the type that causes disorder. 

Gary stood up, ignoring Jack, and made his way over to Matthew. Others had stopped what they were doing and began watching. “What a family man you are, Matt.” Snickers were heard in the growing audience. “Seducing some sweet, innocent women. Making her fall in love with you. Marrying her. Fucking her. Having children with her.” Jack wanted to stop him from going any further. Gary may have been talking to Matthew, but he was describing the kind of life Jack was destine to live. Jack's eyes narrowed. He wanted to move. He urged his body to move, but he froze with the rest of the room. “And all the while, you seek the company of men. So you join the army? Naughty, ah? Sweaty men that you work with day in and day out.” 

The show that Gary was putting on was beginning to work and the men were noticeably becoming uneasy with sharing a birthing with a fancier of other men. This wasn't the first time Jack had come across this problem. Jack himself had a strict ‘don't shit where you eat’ policy and never fooled around with anyone in the service. He could assume the same was true for Matthew, otherwise the truth would have been out much sooner. It hardly ever ended well, once people found out. There were great men, which had great careers that were open about their sexuality and never found ill fortune. Others weren't so lucky. Jack wasn't about to stand by and let another man lose his career because others don't understand differences. 

“I said let him be.” Jack spoke terser this time. He was now half way down the hall from Gary, but Gary still turned to him. 

Gary was far from the small framed statute that Jack was. Jack had little confidence in his ability to over power the man with force alone, especially if others joined in on Gary's side. Jack just had to make sure it didn't come down to that. In any other situation, Jack would sorely outrank ever single person here by a long shot. But, here he was, stripped of his rank, title and name. He was just the same as them. He'd have to do more than demand they listen to him. 

“Aren't you curious? You share an equal part in the birthing, same as us. You shower with him, same as us. It's only right for us to know the truth, don't you think?” Gary tried to rationalize himself. 

Jack still felt no need to get off the ground and continued to speak from his knees. “No. It's none of our business what he does in his bedroom. He's married to a women and that should be enough for you.”

“It is my business if the perv suddenly decides to start groping me in the middle of the night, like his own personal fuck toy.” Gary was getting louder and moving in, toward Matthew. Jack stood and slowly made his way over. He wasn't about to make any sudden movements, but wanted to be there in case something happened. “Or if I accidentally drop the soap in the shower and have to worry about him raping me just to pick it up.”

Jack calmed himself the best he could. There was no reason to get himself riled up when Gary was already doing that. Jack wanted to tell the fucker how he shouldn't think so highly of himself, but instead, thought better. “Gary, you know what's going on right? Drill instructor said those things on purpose. He was expecting to find someone who was going to respond. He wanted this kind of reaction. Why do you think he's not here now? He left us because he knows that someone was going to gang up on Matthew. It's all mind games.” 

“You're so full of yourself, Jack!” Gary spat at him. “Look at you. You think you’re so much better than everyone else here. You walk around here like you don't belong among us. You laugh at the demeaning work they make us do. Once this is over, you get to go back to your palace. You don't have to keep living with this filth.” By ‘filth,’ he was clearly referring to Matthew. 

“You're pitiful. Degrading a man who is willing to give his life for yours, just because you fantasize about him in the showers.” Jack dangerously countered. 

Gary was about to take the bait, but thought better of it for a moment. “Hitting a little too close to home, eh Jacky boy?” Gary moved close to Jack now. How had he just flipped this on Jack? “Matthew isn’t the only one with a secret is he?” Gary was practically breathing on Jack now.

As much as Jack wanted to come up with a witty comeback, his anger blanked his mind and he couldn’t think of anything other than hitting the man in front of him. It didn’t help his case that he didn’t respond. “What’s that Jack? I didn’t hear you?” Gary teased. “Oh, that’s the sound of you not denying it.” All eyes in the room were hyper focused on Jack’s reaction. “What’s his name? Your male lover.”

Jack was better than this. He knew he was. He could remain silent. No admission equals the same as denial (or close enough for now). He didn’t trust himself to speak. He could stand there and take this. He’d get his revenge on these assholes once he was free of this place. 

Gary, satisfied that he was sure he knew Jack was gay, addressed his audience. “This, gentlemen, is our fearless leader. The crown prince. The next King of our kingdom.” He was making a show of it now. He stopped and turned back to Jack once more. “Or does that mean you are not the heir to the throne? I mean you can’t have children, right? But you have a sister. She has to be the most eligible bachelorette. She is pretty hot too! Hey, Jack, mind putting in a good word with her? I can show you my moves in bed and you can tell her all about it!”

Some people truly are unbelievable. Did this guy really think anyone would let them talk shit about their sister and live to talk about it? Gary must have seen it coming when Jack finally snapped and had Gary on the floor in a matter of seconds. Jack kneeled his weight on Gary’s chest as he continuously punched him without breaking. Not a single person attempted to break them up. 

When several soldiers forcefully removed Jack from Gary’s body, Jack still hadn’t had enough. He tried fighting the men who restrained him. They over powered him and were able to handcuff him. It was then that he took in the sight of all of the blood. Gary struggled to breathe out of his blood clogged, broken nose. Jack just spat on his body as they dragged him out of the room. 

They dropped Jack in a room with nothing in it but a chair. They left the cuffs on him as they tossed him into the corner and walked out. They left him there for hours. He was alone to stir in his thoughts. All he could think of is what the point of all of that was. If everything here is a mind game, obviously he failed that last part, but how was he supposed to win? Was he supposed to ignore Gary from the start and let him harass Matthew? Had this happened outside of restrictions, Jack would have responded similarly. He would have pulled the rank card and had Gary locked up. But what had the drill instructor expected to happen?

Three hours had passed when the door opened once again. In stepped the drill instructor. Jack’s eyes narrowed as his anger flashed back. Had he not been cuffed, he didn’t trust himself to not attack the man. The drill instructor ignored Jack’s intimidation and grabbed the chair and brought it to just in front of Jack, still in the corner, and flipped it around to sit backwards. The two locked eyes. If the drill instructor was thinking something, he wasn’t giving himself away. The silence and the stares grew uncomfortable for Jack. He then realized that was the game he was playing at the moment. The drill instructor was waiting for Jack to be uncomfortable enough to speak first or to break eye contact. Unfortunately, Jack was losing this game. He hated losing, but he took a deep sigh and looked down. The drill instructor only moved his hand to prop his head up, over the back of the chair. He continued to stare. He wasn’t going to make this easy. He wanted Jack to speak first. 

It was going to take more than silence and stares to intimidate Jack to get him to speak. He didn’t get to the rank of Major without going through extensive torture training. Not only that, but Jack had actually been kidnapped and tortured by the enemy. He hadn’t given in then, he wouldn’t now. 

Not getting anywhere, the drill instructor was the first to give in. “You made quite a mess.” Jack just scoffed. “I’m not talking in terms of something bleach can clean up.” That got Jack’s attention. The drill instructor was taking his time explaining himself. “That wasn’t your fight to pick.”

Jack thought hard on that. All of the mind game scenarios that ran through his head before, were reevaluated. “You wanted Gary to kick Matthew’s ass?” Jack risked speaking. 

“Something like that.”

“Something like what?” Jack demanded.

“You are in no position to demand shit!” The drill instructor reminded. “Don’t forget where you are.” The drill instructor waited for Jack to soften his gaze till he continued. “We don’t normally have a high ranking official here. It is a mistake on our part for not taking that into consideration before preforming that evolution.” It was clear that the drill instructor was not going to go into more details. He stood and pulled the chair with him. He placed it back where he got it. He didn’t bother to turn and face Jack again as he spoke. “Two of my men will come in here. They will rough you up. Do not fight back. Once they are done, you’ll get a thirty minute, private phone call.”


	11. Chapter 11

“Hey.”

“Hey.” 

“Hey.” 

A light-hearted laughter was heard on the other end of the receiver. “I think you said that already.”

“It’s good to hear your voice.”

“I’m glad to know you are alive!” The voice exclaimed dramatically.

“Did you think they’d kill me?” Jack sighed.

“Well, no.” Joseph rethought what he just said. “I just haven’t heard from you in so long.”

“It’s only been five weeks.”

“I know! And you still have another three!” 

Jack laughed this time. “Calm down, Joseph. You’ll live.”

“Not without you, I won’t.” Joseph’s voice become hushed.

“Come on, none of that.” Jack chide. “Why are you talking that way?”

“You’ve left me alone for the past five weeks with nothing better to do, but to think about you. What did you expect?”

“I’ll be home soon enough.” 

Silence fell over the line.

“Jack?”

“Yeah?”

“How’d you get to call me?”

Jack let out an honest chuckle. “I beat some guy up really badly.”

Joseph was clearly waiting for a further explanation. When none come, he resigned to putting this in the category of ‘Jack works in mysterious ways.’ “Ok. How long can you talk for?”

“Twenty-five minutes now.” Jack spoke quieter and more seductively. “You know, I’m all alone in a room, with no windows. No one can hear me.”

“Mister, are you only calling me for phone sex?”

“No!” Jack rethought that. “I mean yes, I guess.”

“Well, sorry to break it to you, but I’m no good at that, nor am I into it.”

“It’s ok. It’s just good to hear from you.”

“What do you want to talk about then?” Joseph didn’t want to waste the little bit of Jack’s time that he had left talking about silly things such as the weather.

“I don’t know.” Jack admitted. He thought for a moment. “Joseph, what’s your favourite memory of us?”

“All of them.” Jack laughed. Joseph knew Jack wanted a serious answer. “I guess, I like it when you tell me stories. I like the story you told me about how we’d tell your family about us. I like the story you told of how our relationship would go once we decided we were official. I like how detailed you are. I like listening to things from your point of view. I can only ever seen things from my side of things, but it’s good to know that this relationship is real, as much as the world tells us it’s not.”

“It’s real to me.” Jack smiled into the phone. He could sense Joseph’s smile as well. “My favourite memory is the night we made it official. Do you remember?” 

Jack and Joseph’s relationship had only been official for about three months now, of which, Jack had spent one on restriction. They had known each other for well over a year.

“How could I forget?”

“Tell me the story. From your point of view. I want to hear it in your words.” Jack had taken from Joseph’s answer and incorporated it into his.

“I was pissed at you that night.”

“Whoa!” That threw Jack through a loop. 

“You wanted to hear my story.” Joseph defended himself. “Are you going to let me tell it?”

“Now you have to.”

“You were drunk the night before. I don’t mean like shots at bar drunk. I mean you actually pissed your pants. You were that drunk. You were all over me at the club. I tried to get you to stop, but you kept saying how much you didn’t care who knew anymore. You didn’t want to keep fucking girls. You only wanted to fuck me.”

“Did anyone hear me?” Jack asked bashfully.

“I don’t think anyone takes anyone that seriously when they are that drunk.” Joseph said back, bitterly. “Anyway, your friend tried to take you back to your apartment, but you punched him, several times. You paid off your security detail and left on your own. I would have followed, but you had already made too much of a scene as it was.” A little part of Jack was upset that Joseph hadn’t gone after him to look after his drunk ass. “I didn’t have to, though. I found you outside my apartment. I don’t know how you knew where I lived, especially given how drunk you were, but that’s where I found you. I took you inside.” There was a long pause in the story as Joseph forced himself to recall the rest. “I wanted you to sleep it off, but you…” Joseph trailed off.

Jack became concerned with the prolonged silence. “I what?”

“Jack, you, practically tried to force yourself on me.” Joseph’s voice hiccuped.

Jack slapped his forehead. How could he do something so stupid? “Did I hurt you?” He asked quietly.

“No.” Joseph was more pronounced now. “It doesn’t matter. I pushed you off.”

“It does matter. I’m sorry.”

“It’s in the past. It’s never going to happen again, is it?”

“Absolutely not!”

“Good.” Joseph said with conviction. “Cause that’s the exactly the same conversation we had that night. You fell asleep crying apologies into my lap while I pet your hair.”

“That’s why you’ve been monitoring my drinking more than normal, lately?” Jack half-heartedly asked.

“Yes.” Joseph answered shortly. Apparently, it wasn’t a joking matter. “Anyway, back to the story. I was pissed at you. I accepted your apology, but I stayed up all night, with you in my lap, asking myself just why it was that I put up with you. I guess I had gotten to a point where the meaningless sex was more than meaningless. I knew I cared deeply about you. I also knew that you’d never let it go any further than it had already gone. You made that perfectly clear plenty enough times in the past. I was at a crossroads. I knew I had to make a choice. The next day I was either going to fall in love with you or break up with you.”

“You were going to break up with me?” This was the first time Jack had ever heard this. 

“I didn’t want to! What else could I have done? Sat around and let my heart break while you went around and slept around with every whore around town while I watched? Wait for you to come to me when you’re done chasing sluts around all night? Hoping you’d actually want to be with me?” 

“I’m sorry. I know I’m not the easiest person to be with.” He was sincere in his apology.

“I knew things would be hard. We both did. I’m not blaming you. I’m telling you why I wanted to break up with you.”

A tear washed down Jack’s face. This wasn’t the first time they had the break up talk, not even recently. “But you didn’t.” He contented to say quietly.

“Nope.” A smile could be heard in Joseph’s voice. That quickly changed. “I had resigned myself to, though, the next day. I thought of what I was going to say. You made it easy. You were slobbering face with a brunette with a rack on her.”

“You talk about her as if I would remember her.”

“Can you just shut up?” Jack was cut off. “She was all over you. You guys were practically fucking on the dance floor.”

“That’s not fair!”

“Quiet!” Jack grumpily shut his mouth again. “It is too fair!” Joseph accused. “You were staring at me the entire time you were doing it! It was like you were taunting me! I know you like to seduce me sometimes that way, but this was different. This wasn’t inviting. This was you showing me what you could get that wasn’t me. It hurt, Jack!”

“I still came over that night.” Joseph hadn’t scolded Jack for talking this time. “I remember us fighting a little.”

“Yes. I remember.” Joseph thought back to the night. “I was surprised when you had ditched the chick and came over. I think that’s what made me think twice. As soon as I opened the door, you started making out with me before the door had even shut behind you. All of the words that I had in my head had been flushed away. You were so antsy. You shoved me on the bed. Eventhough I couldn’t remember the words, I knew I didn’t want you to get off that easily. I stopped you. You looked like a kicked puppy when I got off the bed. 

“I stood there like an idiot. I couldn’t think of anything to say. Only that I was mad at you. I had a feeling you must have remembered something from the night before, because you got up and sat on the couch and asked…”

“How badly did I screw up this time?” Jack finished the sentence.

“To which I didn’t know the answer.” Joseph sighed into his microphone. “Instead, I thought I’d change the conversation. I asked you…”

“Jack, what are we doing?” Jack quoted again. Joseph couldn’t even be mad. Jack obviously thought about the story alot. “To which I answered…”

“About to fuck, atleast I hope.” Joseph said smugly. Jack cringed alittle. Had he really came across so unpersonable? “I just rolled my eyes. I crouched down in front of you and put my hands on your knees as I spoke again. I told you I was being serious. I wanted to know where we stood. What was I to you?”

“I was terrified when you asked me that. I honestly didn't know what to say. I liked that I could always count on you for sex, but deep down I knew it was more than that. We were more than that. I knew at that point that I cared about you.” Jack wanted to get his honesty out of the way before Joseph continued. 

“Just like the first time we got a hotel together, you didn't want to answer the question. You wanted things to be as simple as just sex.” Joseph dissected. 

“And just like then, you wouldn't allow that answer.” Jack countered. 

“I couldn't anymore. My heart couldn't.” Joseph was using the same words he had that night when he told Jack he couldn't accept his answer. 

“What happened next?” Jack asked. He knew all too well what the answer was, but he wanted to make Joseph tell him. Joseph knew from the start of this conversation that this was what Jack was the most intrigued to hear. 

“Then we fucked.” Joseph was making fun of the way Jack usually skips over details in his stories about precisely how they fuck. He always says, ‘and then we fuck.’

Jack groaned. “I know that. I want to hear it from your point of view.”

Joseph laughed lightly. “Ok. I'll tell you. After you were being an insensitive jerk and not telling me how you truly felt about me, I decided I was going to make you show me. I made up my mind that depending on how things went, it would determine if I would stay or go.”

“So much riding on one performance.” Jack joked. 

“Except it wasn't your performance I was judging.” Joseph let his mind get lost in the memory of the evening. “You told me that you didn't know what to say and I told you to shut up. Then, I jumped up, into your lap and kissed you. I remember you being caught so off guard. I loved it. I wanted to keep you on your toes, so I started undressing you. You tried to keep up, but I grabbed your hands and told you no. You looked at me like you were so mad at me, like I just took away your favourite toy. I ignored you and kept going. I'm sure you were going crazy as I was rubbing my hands all over your body and stuck them down your pants, but I wouldn't let you touch me.”

“When you started to suck me off, a thought you were gonna try to bribe me. You know, like you wouldn't let me finish unless I talked more.” Jack threw in his own thoughts. 

“I thought about it. But I had a much sweeter idea.” Jack could hear the evil grin Joseph must have had on his face right now. “When I thought of my idea, you were completely ready. You were begging me to let you put it in already. What did I say when I stopped?”

Jack's voice hitched as he was reliving the night in full detail. “Turn over.”

“Did you?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

Jack didn't really have a good excuse. “I told you that it was because I set the pace.”

“And what did I tell you back?”

“You said…”

There was suddenly commotion in the room. A soldier walked in. “You have a minute. Wrap it up.” With that, he left. 

Jack didn't miss a beat. “You said you are the one that sets the terms of us. You wanted me to prove myself to you by giving up control in exchange for a boyfriend.” 

“And I clearly remember you being hesitant, but walking your pretty butt over to the bed and lying face down on it, waiting for me.” Joseph grinned. 

“Admit it, you loved it.” Jack cheekishly joked. 

“Of course I did!” Joseph nearly yelled out. “I don't remember you complaining too much after either.” 

“No. Not really.”

“Would you want to do that again?” Joseph was being serious. 

Jack hadn't brought up the story for that reason. “It's not my favourite, but I wouldn't hate it.” He admitted. He kind of liked the fact that the night he and Joseph became boyfriends was the first and only time in his life he ever bottomed. It made it even more special. “I would kinda like to save it for special occasions though.”

“Or for when you owe me.” Joseph joked. 

Jack laughed too. “Or that.” Jack could hear the door being opened up again. “Joseph, hey I gotta go. My time is up. I'll see you soon. Love you. Bye.”

It was late when Jack got back to the room he shared. Everyone was in their racks, presumably asleep. Jack crawled into his own. He hissed when a bruise on his ribs made contact with the less then pleasant bed. It wasn't too bad of a bruise. He'd been kicked a few times and punched, nothing he couldn't take, plus, it had been worth it. He'd gotten a thirty minute, private phone call with Joseph. 

Jack heard someone stir beside him. He risked rolling onto his side to see his visitor. It was Matthew. “Sir.” He addressed Jack formally, whispering. “I must express my gratitude.” Jack didn't know if he should correct Matthew on the usage of the term ‘sir,’ but either way, Jack nodded his head in appreciation. “I feel I must speak openly. I am not gay. I had an older sister who was. She killed herself after our parents rejected her just because she preferred the companionship of other women. I didn’t feel the need to justify myself earlier. Men like Gary, they won’t understand such things as those. I appreciate what you have done for me.”

Jack sat up in his rack and nodded to Matthew. “I speak for everyone here.” Matthew motioned around the room and Jack gazed. He found everyone in their beds spectating. “We will all be honoured to sever you the day you become our King.”

**Author's Note:**

> I have not yet finished this story and there are a million directions it could go in. I am excited to see where it will end up. 
> 
> Please feed me in comments and kudos, that is all I ask as a writer.
> 
> Jayden


End file.
